Below we publish the speech made by CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury at the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) held in Beijing from October 13-16, putting forward the views about the 'One Road One Belt' initiative.

THE shared socio-historical, cultural past of our countries is best represented in the Silk Road, which showcases the confluences of our civilisations. Cities like Edessa, today's Sanhurfa, Istanbul and Alexandria, all important trading centres of that period, best convey the length and depth of these currents of confluence. These were not only important trading centres, but also important centres where various philosophies were debated, ideas discussed, experiences exchanged – all of which led to the further enrichment of human civilisation. Along this route, Chinese, Indian and Persian philosophies contributed to the cross-fertilisation of ideas. It is here that they came into contact with the Roman and Greek philosophical schools. Books like the 'The Life of the Buddha', written by Asvaghosha, in what is today’s Afghanistan, found its way to the University of Edessa, carried in the bags of the caravan merchants and monks along this route. Such books were translated by the resident scholars into the local dialect and the ideas expressed in these books had their influence on both Christian and Islamic traditions.

This confluence of various cultures, thoughts, ideas and philosophies played a major role in the evolution of many important scientific concepts. As historians have noted, this is the place where “Euclid wrote his treatise on geometry, that Eratosthenes measured the diameter of the world (he was only fifty-four miles out), that Ptolemy produced his astonishing maps and that a great team of seventy-two Hellenistic Jews produced the Septuagint, the first Greek translation of the Old Testament” (William Dalrymple as quoted in Confluences, page 32).

All this goes on to teach us a great historical lesson – how connected human civilisation was in those days and how it had contributed to the overall growth of humankind. In today's world of growing individualism, self-centrism and purported 'clash of civilisations', it is very important to revisit this history and re-learn such ideas of syncretic culture and confluences. This assumes all the more importance, when we see moves all around us, countries pursuing policies to 'contain' and 'encircle' others. The world, we believe is big enough a space for the growth, development and advancement of all the countries.

In India today, we are facing a sharpened rightward shift in our politics. This is accompanied by a systematic effort to rewrite the rich syncretic Indian civilisational history. Instead of celebrating India's rich pluralism, the efforts promoted by official patronage, are on to depict this rich history as a single thread of 'Hindu civilisation'. They seek to change history to influence the present and thus, shape the future according to their fashioning. History is sought to be replaced by 'Hindu mythology' and philosophy by 'Hindu teleology'.

The present global economic crisis that is afflicting the world since 2008 and is showing no signs of abatement any time sooner, too has enhanced the importance of the developing countries and has brought to the fore the need for more cooperation amongst them. The days of unilateralism and hegemonic role played by one or few countries of the developed world are now facing serious challenge. The emergence of China as the world's second largest economy and a major world power, together with the assertion of Russia in the face of the US-NATO advance eastwards and the strengthening of relations between these two major countries in the world and coordinated efforts on some of the major world issues, like that on Syria, are acting as check to such hegemonic designs.

The US is responding to these challenges to its hegemony, by concentrating on the Asia-Pacific region, declaring it as a pivot to its future foreign policy. With the aim of containing China’s growing economic clout, the United States has initiated two major trade treaties the Trans Pacific Partnership Treaty (TPP) in the Asia-Pacific region and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the European Union. These two treaties are intended to cover almost two-thirds of the world economy. The US is also strengthening its military ties with its close allies in the region and intends to station 60 percent of its naval fleet in the Pacific. Deepening of military ties with India and promotion of remilitarisation of Japan, are all part of these designs to 'contain' China. It is in this background that the role of forums like SCO, BRICS and initiatives like the 'One Belt, One Road', have to be viewed.

The formation of the BRIC grouping in 2009 of Brazil, Russia, India and China, which has been expanded to BRICS with the joining of South Africa in 2011, is an expression of the growing importance of the developing countries. The BRICS is coordinating its positions on issues like UN reforms, international trade, climate change, etc., and seeking more say for the developing countries in international fora.

The relative strength of the economic power of the ‘emerging economies’, particularly that of the BRICS countries, indicates shifts in the balance of economic power. The growing strength of the ‘emerging economies’ will have a complex impact on the contradiction between the developed advanced capitalist countries and the developing countries. The effort by imperialism to maintain its hegemony and to rely on the ruling classes of the developing countries is bound to intensify the contradiction between imperialism and the people of the developing countries.

The recently concluded 7th BRICS summit held in Ufa, Russia, adopted a joint declaration, which decided to increase the economic cooperation between the countries in the grouping. All these efforts that were in shape for the past few years, led to the formation of a 'BRICS bank' – the 'New Development Bank'. This Bank is envisaged to “serve as a powerful instrument for financing infrastructure investment and sustainable development projects in the BRICS and other developing countries and emerging market economies and for enhancing economic cooperation” between the countries in the group. Together with the operationalisation of the BRICS bank, the treaty establishing a 'Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) desired to provide 'mutual financial support', an important step in the financial cooperation' between the countries in the grouping and to provide “a valuable contribution to the global financial safety net”, was also signed.

Along with the BRICS Bank, other regional multilateral bodies, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are strengthening the multi-polar trend and are intended to deepen the economic cooperation among the countries of our region and contribute to their overall development. These financial institutions, with their declared objective of ensuring equality between the member countries, stand out in clear distinction to the Bretton Woods institutions like the IMF and World Bank, which are serving the interests of only the few developed countries. The New Development Bank and the AIIB should serve as an example of the possibility of 'win-win' approach in human civilisational progress.

The Silk Road initiative, which covers nearly half of the world's population, we hope, will once again play its historical role of not only strengthening economic cooperation through trade, but also contribute for the evolution of modern syncretic culture. This initiative should not only enhance trade relations between our countries, but also bring together the people of our countries, lead to the exchange of ideas and strengthen the bonds of friendship and fraternity. Along with the main artery of the Silk Road, many regional arteries, that strengthen these ideas of friendship and fraternity and take them deep into our countries need to be developed.

The economic relationships that are forged should be an example to the rest of the world that there is an alternative to the present exploitative trade relations and that such an alternative is based on the concept of 'win-win' principle that is beneficial to all concerned parties. The deepening of economic relations through the ‘One Road One Belt’ initiative should also showcase the possibility of harmonious development and growth between various countries, which in turn will lead to better living conditions for our people, erase poverty and unemployment, increase life expectancy and literacy, eliminate disease and hunger, ensure prosperity – all through safeguarding our fragile ecology and environment.

In addition to presenting the CPI(M)’s observations, Yechury made the following two points:

The mirror image of the `Silk Road’ on the seas is what we, in India, call the `spice route’.  A maritime route that extended from Canton (Guangzhou)  through the Mallaca Straits, India-Sri Lanka onwards to the Arab lands and further on to Alexandria, Florence  and then to the Caliphate in Istanbul, also, the capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople.  The `One Road, One Belt’ concept cannot comprehensively realise the inherent potential of this region unless this Maritime `Spice Route’ is simultaneously revived. India and China have a mutually beneficial project at hand.

An unfortunate reference has been made to the Kashmir dispute here by the Pakistani delegation (Bilawal Bhutto). Kashmir is a `bilateral issue’ to be resolved between India and Pakistan, as universally recognised and accepted. It is best to leave this issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan. Raising it in international fora can only complicate matters rather than help resolving it.